The Clear Channel Communications outlet broadcasts with an effective radiated power of 100 kW. KBCO's studios are located on Boulder's renowned Pearl Street. The transmitter is located southwest of Eldorado Springs, Colorado, at the top of Eldorado Mountain at an elevation of 8,400 feet above sea level, or 469 meters above average terrain.
KBCO can also be heard via translator K232AC (94.3 FM) located west of Denver in Summit County on Baldy Mountain.
Scott Arbough, who started as a part time DJ at KBCO in 1985, is the current Program Director.
History
KBCO, whose slogan is "World Class Rock," has been in the adult rock format since its sign on in June 1977. The format on the station was derived in part from Boulder station KADE (1190 AM) which had gone on the air in 1973. KADE was purchased in 1975 by Bob Greenlee. Two years later Greenlee also purchased FM station KRNW, which then became KBCO. The original studio was located in an office complex at 1900 Folsom Street, next door to the station's current studio. The station's original transmitter was located on a tower atop Lee Hill with a low-power 610 watt signal. Bob Greenlee worked with consulting engineers and petitioned the FCC to increase the power to its current 100,000 watt signal.
The original airstaff included Dennis Constantine, the station's original program director, in the mornings; Music Director Judy McNutt and production director Richard Ray. Greenlee moved KADE and KBCO to a state of the art studio complex at 4801 Riverbend Road in East Boulder and then sold the stations to Noble Broadcasting in 1987. During this time of KBCO's history, deejays selected the songs to play on their own shows from a broad music library.
In 1982, KBCO was the first station in Colorado to play music from CDs. In a partnership with local audio retailer Listen Up, CDs and playback equipment were shipped in from Japan.
KBCO has occasionally been rated #1 in the Denver-Boulder Arbitron ratings with overall listeners 12+, the first time in 1988. KBCO is often rated #1 with its target audience 25–54 year old adults.[citation needed] The station's sale to Clear Channel in the mid-1990s has resulted in a tightening of the formerly unpredictable format, and KBCO DJs no longer have control over any of the tracks they play except during special features. Music played on the air is chosen by the station's programming staff.
In 1988, KBCO Studio C was created by Program Director Scott Arbough with a performance by Melissa Etheridge in a small cramped production studio. The studio has since upgraded, and many artists in Colorado for a concert tour or promotion tour stop by to play live on the radio. The station releases a CD every year in late November or early December with the best or most memorable Studio C performances. The CDs, titled KBCO Studio C followed by the volume number, sell out in a matter of hours and all proceeds from the album are donated to charity. Two retrospective CDs have been released combining the best of the previous CDs and a couple of unreleased songs.
KBCO carries the noncommercial show Etown every Sunday. The show, hosted by Nick and Helen Forster, originates from Boulder and features live performances and an emphasis on environmental issues.
Sierra
Boz Scaggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Told me you couldn't be true
Somebody ought to have told me now
But that wouldn't be like you
No ones got to tell me
After all you put me through
You dropped me like a habit
Of which you had a few
Your scent is on the glass tonight
Swirling in the wine
Scrambling the back of my brain
The irony sublime
It's warm bouquet and pungent flame
Light this ancient street
The avenue of no name
I fall into its beat
Nobody loved like you
Time won't you let me be
After all that we've been through
I talk to myself cause I aint got nobody else
Nobody else but you
I've walked for miles
I've walked a long time
To get to the place that I've got to.. yeah
There's nothing left and nobody.. nobody
Nobody left but you
Time please set me free
Why couldn't you be true
I walk that walk.. yeah
I talk that talk
But there's nobody left but you.. you
Time won't you let me be
After all that we've been through
I talk to myself cause I aint got nobody else
Nobody left but you.. you
The lyrics of "Sierra" by Boz Scaggs tell the story of a man who has been betrayed by someone whom he loved deeply. He begins by expressing his disillusionment, suggesting that he wished someone had warned him that this person wasn't trustworthy. He then acknowledges that he was already aware of their true nature and how they had hurt him. However, he adds that he is still haunted by their scent, suggesting that he still longs for them despite the pain they have caused him. The irony of this situation is not lost on him, as he describes it as "sublime."
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "nobody left but you," emphasizing the sense of isolation and desperation that the singer is feeling. He speaks of having walked a long way to get where he is, suggesting that he has put in a lot of effort to reach this point, only to find that there is nothing left for him. He begs time to "set him free" and wonders why this person couldn't have been true to him. Ultimately, he resigns himself to the fact that he has no one but them, even if it means talking to himself to ease his loneliness.
Overall, "Sierra" is a poignant and reflective song that captures the emotional turmoil of a person who has been let down by someone they trusted. The use of sensory imagery, such as describing the scent of the person and the warmth of the wine, adds depth and nuance to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody ought to have told me
I wish someone told me before that you were incapable of being loyal to me
Told me you couldn't be true
I wish someone had warned me that you were not the person who could stay committed to me
Somebody ought to have told me now
It would have been better if someone had told me about your unfaithfulness at the beginning itself
But that wouldn't be like you
However, considering your character, it is not surprising that no one warned me about your lack of commitment
No ones got to tell me
I am aware of your disloyalty, no one needs to tell me about that
After all you put me through
After all the pain and suffering you caused me because of your unfaithfulness
You dropped me like a habit
You gave up on me easily, treated me as if I was just someone who you could discard without any second thought
Of which you had a few
You had a number of bad habits, dropping me was just one of them
Your scent is on the glass tonight
The memories of you that linger in my mind are particularly strong tonight
Swirling in the wine
As I drink wine, the memories of you are mixed in with the flavors
Scrambling the back of my brain
The memories of you are affecting my emotions and thoughts
The irony sublime
It's ironic that even though you caused me so much pain, I am still thinking about you tonight
It's warm bouquet and pungent flame
The feelings of love and passion that I experienced with you are still alive in my heart
Light this ancient street
My emotions for you have illuminated an old and forgotten part of me
The avenue of no name
This emotional journey that I am taking with you has no clear destination, no name or label
I fall into its beat
I am letting myself be consumed by my emotions for you
Nobody loved like you
Despite your flaws, there was no one like you when it came to the love and passion you were capable of showing
Time won't you let me be
I wish time would move on from my memories of you
I talk to myself cause I aint got nobody else
I am so consumed with thoughts of you that I have no one else to talk to about what I am feeling
To get to the place that I've got to.. yeah
I went through a lot of emotional turmoil to reach this state of acceptance and moving on from you
There's nothing left and nobody.. nobody
There is nothing tangible or emotional left after all that we have been through
Time please set me free
I want to move on from the memories of you
Why couldn't you be true
I wish you could have been loyal and committed in our relationship
I walk that walk.. yeah
I am taking the steps to move forward and leave behind the memories of you
I talk that talk
I am expressing my feelings and slowly coming to terms with them
But there's nobody left but you.. you
Despite my best efforts to move on, the memories of you are still prevalent in my mind
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: WILLIAM SCAGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DagAndersEriks1
This popped up in my car on a road trip through a mountainous area in my home country. I had to stop the car and be silent for some time. Now it’s #1 on my favorite playlist.
I just love when such things happen: unexpected beauty, deep wisdom, surprised by joy.
@johntate5722
Great comment, dag
@wingmanjim6
Easily one of the most beautiful, yet under appreciated songs of all time.
@sandraruddick4581
Brings me to tears every time I hear it. Good old Terry Wogan often played it on Radio 2 and Ken Bruce has carried on the tradition today. My heart is melting !
@greezyrider4611
Just heard Brucie playing it today
@jaynelouise1969
@Greezy Rider it was one of my picks when Steve Wright chose my Golden Oldies on Radio 2 a couple of years ago, still got the badge he sent me somewhere...
@jasononeil3816
It was Ken Bruce that introduced me to it playing it after the conclusion of "Pop Master".❤😊
@MrJonpac
Missing Steve Wright xx
@carolrussell9300
You don't find music, it finds you and this song certainly did. Just beautiful....
@marcovandenberg6719
Armosphere of the song is worthy of a novel